Eyewear bottle opener

ABSTRACT

An eyewear bottle opener wherein a bottle opener is housed within the reinforced earpiece of the frame of the eyewear for the convenience of a person wearing the eyewear and desiring to open a bottle having a metal cap.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority based on provisional patent applicationSer. No. 60/744,001 filed Mar. 30, 2006, the entire content of which isincorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to the fields of eyewear and bottle openers.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Eyewear, and more particularly the type referred to as eyeglasses, iswell known in the prior art. Eyewear typically comprises lenses and aframe, wherein the frame positions the lenses in front of the user'seyes and has earpieces that hold the frame in place. It is well known tovary the tint of the lenses and the style and material of the frames.

Bottle openers are also well known in the prior art. Typically bottleopeners comprise a metal lever that is inserted below a metal bottle capthat is pleated about the rim of the neck of the bottle and then rotatedabout the bottle cap using a point on the cap as a fulcrum on which topivot, thus pulling the bottle cap off of the rim of the bottle.

This invention combines eyewear and the type of bottle opener describedabove. The invention provides convenience for persons wearing eyewear,or eyeglasses, that desire to open bottles. In accordance with itsnarrower aspects, the invention comprises eyewear having a framemanufactured so as to house a bottle opener therein.

In one embodiment, the bottle opener is housed within the earpiece suchthat the opener is accessible from the top and near the hinge at whichthe earpiece joins the frame. The bottle opener is made from aluminum ora similarly rigid material of the like and includes an anchor piece thatanchors the bottle opener within the earpiece and provides stabilitywhen used to open bottles. The earpiece is manufactured from plasticthat is molded about the aluminum bottle opener and its anchor piece.Further, the hinge which connects the earpiece to the frame isreinforced with six to ten joints to absorb the stress incurred when thebottle opener is used to open bottles.

The bottle opener is also housed in the earpiece such that the lever isaccessible from the bottom or from the side as well as near the endwhich is placed about the user's ear. In another embodiment the bottleopen is housed in the nosepiece of the eyewear. In another embodimentthe bottle opener is attached to the ear piece of the eyewear via amagnet or other means. In yet another embodiment the bottle opener ishoused within the ear piece such that it is rotatable out of the housingfor use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the present invention may be had byreference to the following Detailed Description when taken in connectionwith the accompanying Drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating one embodiment of theinvention being worn by an individual;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view illustrating the embodiment of FIG. 1wherein the bottle opener is positioned to be accessed from the top ofthe ear piece;

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view illustrating the embodiment of FIG. 1wherein the bottle opener is positioned to be accessed from the side ofthe ear piece;

FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view illustrating the embodiment of FIG. 1wherein the bottle opener is positioned to be accessed from the end ofthe ear piece that attached about an individual's ear;

FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view illustrating the embodiment of FIG. 1wherein the bottle opener is positioned to be accessed from the bottomof the ear piece;

FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view illustrating another embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating yet another embodiment of theinvention; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view, partially shown in phantom, illustratingyet another embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1, there is shown aperspective view of a first embodiment of the eyewear bottle opener 10being used by an individual 12. In this embodiment the bottle opener 14is housed within the earpiece 16 of the frame 26 near the hinge 28 ofthe frame 26 so that the lever 30 of the bottle opener 14 is accessiblefrom the top 18 of the earpiece 16.

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1. Thebottle opener 14 is shown positioned near the hinge 28. The hinge 28 isreinforced by nine joints 32. The hinge 32 can be reinforced by more orfewer joints as necessary. The bottle opener 14 is attached to an anchor34, both of which are made from aluminum in this embodiment, that addssupport to the earpiece 16 that is molded thereabout when the bottleopener 14 is used for its intended purpose. The bottle opener 14 and theanchor 34 can be made of other materials, such as varying metals oralloys. Proper materials for the construction of the bottle opener 14and the anchor 34 will be well known to those having skill in the art.In this embodiment the frame 26 is made from plastic. The frame 26 canbe made from other materials, such as metal, an alloy, or a ceramicmaterial. Proper materials for the construction of the frame 26 will bewell known to those having skill in the art.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 whereinthe bottle opener 14 is positioned such that the lever 30 of the bottleopener 14 is accessible from the side 20 of the earpiece 16. The bottleopener 14 is attached to an anchor 34 in FIG. 3 as well.

FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 whereinthe bottle opener 14 is positioned at the end 22 of the earpiece 16. Thebottle opener 14 is shown attached to an anchor 34.

FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 that issimilar to the invention shown in FIG. 2 except that the bottle opener14 is accessible from the bottom 24 of the earpiece 16.

FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view illustrating another embodiment of theinvention wherein the bottle opener 14 is positioned above the nosepiece36 of the frame 26 that connects the portions of the frame 26 that holdthe lenses 38.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of theinvention wherein a bottle opener 40 is a separate piece that isattached to the earpiece 16 of the frame 26 via a magnet 42 or othermeans such as hook-and-loop fasteners.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating yet another embodiment of theinvention wherein a bottle opener 44 is housed within a housing 46 inthe earpiece 16 of the frame 26 such that the bottle opener 44 may berotated out of the housing 46 for use.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view, partially shown in phantom, illustratingyet another embodiment of the invention wherein a bottle opener 48 isformed at the hinge 28 of the frame 26 upon the folding of the earpiece16. Upon the folding of the earpiece 16, the portion of the bottleopener 48 attached to the earpiece 16 is exposed, so as to be insertedbelow a bottle cap for opening.

Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated inthe accompanying Drawings and described in the foregoing DetailedDescription, it will be understood that the invention is not limited tothe embodiments disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements,modifications, and substitutions of parts and elements without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

1. An eyewear bottle opener, comprising: a first and a second lens; aframe for securing the lenses and positioning the lenses before anindividual's eyes; two hinges attached to the frame, one hingesubstantially near the first lens and the other hinge substantially nearthe second lens; an earpiece attached to each hinge for securing theframe about the individual's head; at least one bottle opener having alever for opening bottles; and a reinforced housing within an earpiecefor receiving the bottle opener.
 2. The eyewear bottle opener of claim 1wherein the at least one bottle opener is positioned within the topportion of an earpiece.
 3. The eyewear bottle opener of claim 1 whereinthe at least one bottle opener is positioned within the side portion ofan earpiece.
 4. The eyewear bottle opener of claim 1 wherein the atleast one bottle opener is positioned within the end portion of anearpiece.
 5. The eyewear bottle opener of claim 1 wherein the at leastone bottle opener is positioned within the bottom portion of anearpiece.
 6. The eyewear bottle opener of claim 1 wherein the at leastone bottle opener is housed within a housing in an earpiece such thatthe bottle opener can be rotated out of the housing for use.
 7. Theeyewear bottle opener of claim 6 wherein the at least one bottle openerrotates upwardly out of the housing.
 8. The eyewear bottle opener,comprising: a first and a second lens; a frame for securing the lensesand positioning the lenses before an individual's eyes; two hingesattached to the frame, one hinge substantially near the first lens andthe other hinge substantially near the second lens; an earpiece attachedto each hinge for securing the frame about the individual's head; and atleast one bottle opener having a lever for opening bottles.
 9. Theeyewear bottle opener of claim 8 wherein the at least one bottle openeris positioned above a nosepiece of the frame.
 10. The eyewear bottleopener of claim 8 wherein the at least one bottle opener is a separatepiece that attached to an earpiece.
 11. The eyewear bottle opener ofclaim 10 wherein the at least one bottle opener magnetically attaches toan earpiece.
 12. The eyewear bottle opener of claim 8 wherein the atleast one bottle opener is housed within a housing in an earpiece suchthat the bottle opener can be rotated out of the housing for use. 13.The eyewear bottle opener of claim 12 wherein the at least one bottleopener rotates upwardly out of the housing.
 14. The eyewear bottleopener of claim 8 wherein the at least one bottle opener is formed at ahinge attached to the frame upon the folding of an earpiece, therebyexposing a portion of the bottle opener attached to the earpiece so asto be inserted below a bottle cap for opening.